Mt. Halcon Offers a Very Challenging Climb

MOUNT HALCON

Mindoro Oriental Mt. Halcon Photo from: http://discovermimaropa.blogspot.com/2014/10/10-au-naturale-attractions-in-mimaropa.html

Mount Halcon is a mountain located in the island of Mindoro in the Philippines. Its height of 2,586 meters (8,484 ft) makes it the 18th highest peak in the Philippines. Its steep slopes have earned it the reputation of being the most difficult mountain to climb in the country. The first documented ascent was made in 1906 by botanist Elmer Drew Merrill and a party of forestry and military personnel.

Mount Halcon is home to the indigenous Alangan Mangyans. Its thick vegetation contains much flora and fauna, including the critically endangered Mindoro bleeding-heart which is endemic in the area,and the stick insect Conlephasma enigma, which was first described in 2012.

The mountain was also the location of a possible World War II Japanese holdout. Isao Miyazawa found evidence that his comrade Captain Fumio Nakahara was living there in 1957. Another search in 1977 was called off due to Miyazawa contracting malaria. In 1980, Miyazawa found Nakahara’s hut, and the natives talked to him extensively about the foreigner. However, Nakahara himself has never been spotted. Read More: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Halcon

Photo from: https://www.puertoparrot.com/articles/mt-halcon-the-most-difficult-to-climb-in-the-philippines

Mt. Halcon is notorious among trekkers as one of the country’s toughest mountains with its rugged terrains and steep slopes, often made more difficult by the unpredictable weather. Rising at 2,586 meters above sea level, the peak of Halcon is the highest point in Oriental Mindoro. Taking about 4 days to climb, Mt. Halcon features arduous steep trails through dense jungles, ridges, waterfalls, and river crossings, with spectacular scenic views and exotic flora and fauna. Travelers are advised to physically and mentally prepare months ahead of time. Read More: https://explora.ph/attraction/179/mt-halcon

Photo from: https://allevents.in/calapn%20city/mt-halcon-march-4-8-2016/1543533229308738#

Although not really in Puerto Galera, Mount Halcon adds a special spice to the tourism in Mindoro. Located in the municipality of Baco between Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro, Mount Halcon is considered virtually impossible to climb, which makes it even more appealing to mountaineers and mountain-climbing enthusiasts.

Getting to the foot of Mount Halcon is already a challenge because it is far from the nearest paved road. If you wish to face the most amazing nature-trek challenge of your life, you chose the right summit. It’s has been declared officially closed several times for the reason that it is too difficult to climb. So far, only three groups of expert mountaineers have claimed to have scaled it by 2009. Yet, officially, this elusive summit is declared closed until 2012. The office of the Mayor suggests Mount Baco as an equally challenging alternative. Yet the curious and unquenchable spirit of expert mountaineers still point to Mount Halcon. It seems that the more impossible the climb, the more people want to scale it. Read More: https://cushtravel.com/mount-halcon-the-tallest-peak-in-mindoro-and-the-most-elusive-mountain-in-the-philippines/